When you surround yourself with like-minded athletes who are all

Hear the words of Jessica Fox, champion of the waters, who speaks with the wisdom of one who has endured the torrent: “When you surround yourself with like-minded athletes who are all going through the same thing as you, it gives you more drive and strength to get through those moments when you don't want to do it any more, when you think it's hard.” These words are not spoken from the comfort of ease, but from the trials of training, the lonely hours of struggle, and the moments when willpower flickers like a dying flame. She reminds us that in such moments, it is not the solitary self alone that carries us through, but the fellowship of others who share the same burden.

The origin of this teaching lies in the discipline of sport, where champions like Fox push beyond limits that break ordinary men and women. She, a canoe slalom athlete, knows intimately the exhaustion of body and spirit, the days when the waters seem too fierce and the effort too heavy. Yet she has found that among fellow athletes—companions in struggle—there is a hidden reservoir of strength. Their presence awakens drive, their shared hardship rekindles endurance, and their collective spirit becomes a force greater than any one individual.

This wisdom is as old as the armies of antiquity. Recall the phalanx of Sparta, where each warrior’s shield did not guard himself alone, but the comrade beside him. Alone, a Spartan might falter; together, bound shield to shield, they became a wall that could withstand the charge of empires. Their courage was not only their own but borrowed from their brothers-in-arms. In the same way, Fox teaches us that when we march with companions who endure what we endure, our hearts are steadied, and we find power beyond ourselves.

There is also here the truth of shared suffering and solidarity. For when one walks through hardship alone, despair grows quickly. But when one looks to the side and sees another sweating, straining, enduring the same trial, hope is born anew. The heart whispers, “If they can continue, so can I.” This is why communities, teams, and fellowships have been the bedrock of human achievement. From explorers crossing frozen seas to builders raising cathedrals, it was never the lone hero but the band of kindred spirits that brought great visions into reality.

The teaching also reminds us of the danger of isolation. A man cut off from his fellows, even if strong, soon grows weary. But in the presence of like-minded companions, even the weak find courage. History tells of Ernest Shackleton and his crew stranded in the Antarctic ice. Had each man been alone, despair would have swallowed them whole. Yet bound together, sustained by each other’s will, they endured the impossible cold until rescue came. Their strength was multiplied because it was shared.

The lesson is plain: surround yourself with those who share your vision, your trials, and your goals. Choose companions not of idle comfort, but of discipline and resilience, who will lift you when you falter and challenge you when you grow soft. In such company, hardship is halved, and strength is doubled. The path of greatness is never walked alone, but always in the fellowship of those whose hearts burn with the same fire.

Practical action flows from this: seek out communities, mentors, and comrades who strive as you strive. Do not isolate yourself in struggle, for the burden will crush you. Instead, walk with others who remind you of your purpose. Share your strength when they are weary, and draw upon theirs when your will is faint. In this mutual giving, all rise higher than they could alone.

Thus, O seeker, take Jessica Fox’s wisdom as your own. Surround yourself with the like-minded, and let their endurance become your endurance, their courage become your courage. For in the company of the steadfast, no storm is too fierce, no burden too heavy, and no dream beyond reach. This is the eternal law of strength: that the bonds of fellowship create heroes, and through unity, the impossible is overcome.